I Can't Help Myself
by DarcyJames
Summary: Oneshot. Draco, a professional Quidditch player and knight in shining armor saves Ginny, a famous fashion designer and damsel in distress from a party. DMxGW


_A Ginny and Draco one-shot. My first try at one, so tell me what you think!_

_After you-know-who is defeated and written like HBP never happened. Draco, a professional Quidditch player saves Ginny, a famous fashion designer from a party. A lot better than it sounds... trust me!_

**I Can't Help Myself**

**Disclaimer**: _I own nothing but a sock, my computer and my mind. I wish I could say that I owned the other sock that matches mine..._

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Covering a yawn, Ginny Weasley, pointed to another piece of paper.

"Hand me that one Claude," her assistant, Claudia Vanderbilt quickly snatched it up from among the large messy pile and handed it to Ginny, who, gave it one glance before handing it to the woman next to her.

The two watched on baited breath as she looked closely at the drawing, scrutinizing it. Then, she flipped her hair over her shoulder, she simply said, "no".

Claudia quickly glanced at her boss, who for a second seemed ready to kill. But hiding her loath for the woman, Ginny put up a small smile.

"You know what?" The woman raised her eyebrows at Ginny, waiting for her to continue, "Tell me what you want again, and I'll get back to you tomorrow with a new sketch and we'll see how that works out."

The lady glanced between Ginny and Claudia, who gave a quick smile that looked for like a grimace, and agreed.

Claudia showed her to the door, twenty minutes later, with another list of fashion styles freshly written, sitting on the table. As soon as the door closed, she heard a large groan behind her.

"I give up!" Ginny threw her hands into the air as if to prove the point.

Claudia stayed silent, biting her bottom lip, while waiting. In what seemed like an eternity of silence, Ginny finally spoke again.

"You can go home Claude, thank you for your help." She breathed out a sigh of relief and gathered her things.

"Night." Claudia closed the door behind her, leaving a tired Ginny alone.

They had been in the giant conference room for three hours. Three hours that to begin with should have only been twenty minutes. Every time Ginny had shown, Ms. Olivia Humphrey a design that had matched what she had told Ginny she wanted, the answer had always been the same. That was what had taken the twenty minutes. The three hours were because Ms. Humphrey asked to see other designs in hopes of finding the right dress for her engagement party.

Now Ginny sat, in the lighted room, staring at the sheet in front of her. Nothing that Ms. Humphrey had just told her she wanted, was what she had asked for in the first place. Ginny had resisted the urge to reach over and smack her clients head and tell her to make up her mind.

She shook her head in frustration, her red locks tumbled down her neck, having come out of the twist that she had hastily pulled it up in. Ginny decided that she wasn't going to worry about this tonight. It was too late.

After locking up her building, she stepped outside and started towards her flat.

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One week later, Ms. Humphrey had her engagement party. Her dress had turned out to be simple. A black satin cocktail dress, with yellow ribbon sash tied around her waist. Ginny congratulated herself for completing the task.

But her moment of glory was short lived when Claudia reminded her that she had a party that she was to attend to that evening. Ginny loved parties. Parties that included more people that you liked than people you didn't. "Hell holes" as she had taken to calling them, were definitely not considered parties. It was the place where you were forced to talk to people just for the sake of business, in a large, stuffy room, for hours. This months party was being held by Gringotts.

"At least Bill will be there" she grumbled.

She had chosen a long, grey, form fitting satin dress to wear. She decided to leave her fiery hair half down, while the rest was pulled up in a frayed bun. Checking herself over in the mirror, to make sure everything was perfect, and getting its opinion, she grabbed her clutch purse and apperated.

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She had only been in the luxurious ballroom for an hour and already her shoes were killing her. She swore under her breath as she shifted her weight, pretending to be interested in the conversation of the value of gold vs. that of Dragon scales. Nodding her head absently at a statement, she grazed her eyes around the room, looking for anyone whom she could break away and talk to.

Unexpectedly she felt a soft touch on her arm. She turned and found herself staring into the piercing gaze of silver eyes. Her heart seemed to freeze under it. She heard the conversation she was in abruptly stop, and could feel their eyes trained on her and Malfoy.

He ignored them, and smiled softly at her, "Excuse me, Miss Weasley, but I have something I need to talk to you about." He didn't wait for her to answer, and looped her arm in his.

As they walked away he gave a curt nod towards the small group of men, who quickly went back to their conversation of values.

He smiled down at Ginny who tightened her arm around his, and gave a small laugh. He led her to a small side room that was covered with a large tapestry, and found themselves two chairs. She seated herself and sighed. It felt good to get off her feet.

"Thank you, Draco"

"I couldn't help myself Red, besides," He wagged his eyebrows at her, "do you really think that I could not step in and save a damsel in distress?"

She flashed him a grateful smile before reaching down and pulling her heels off.

"I didn't know you were going to be here." She said softly, slowly rubbing her sore feet.

"Gringotts decided to help sponsor our team." He grimaced slightly before continuing, "I wasn't planning on coming, but then word got around that _the_ Miss Ginerva Weasley, one of the most _eligible_ witches in London was going to make an appearance, and I couldn't miss that for anything."

She laughed at that.

"But seriously, I knew that you hated these things, so I thought I would come to steal you away." Her eyes met his warm gaze.

This is how it was for them. Him, the knight, always swooping down and saving her. Ginny was glad for his friendship. He understood her like no one else could. After the sudden death of her mother and Percy, she was surprised that he was the one that rushed to comfort her. His own parents had died during the battle, and they had left him only enough money to survive sparingly with.

"Does stealing me away include me having to put my shoe back on?" Her voice was tentative. His laughter rang around the room, and her heart seemed to freeze again. She loved it when he laughed.

Not answering her, he picked her up with ease and apperated.

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"How many times do I have to tell you to _warn_ me before apperating with me?" She bit her lip in frustration and felt her hair. She then looked back up into his face, his eyes danced with laughter and she smacked him with one of her shoes.

"Always one more time Red" This was always his answer. They stared at each other in silence, soft smiles on both their lips. She suddenly had the urge to kiss him. She jumped at that thought and whirled around to see where he had taken them, blushing furiously, and hoped he didn't notice.

It was a small cafe, she saw, in a expensive part of muggle London. He came around from behind her and linked their arms together.

"Shall we?"

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They had both ordered a glass of wine, with their bread and cheese, and sat and talked for hours. They hadn't done so in almost a year.

"I listened to your last match against the Falcons" She saw him smile at the memory, and she found herself smiling at her own. "It was bloody _fantastic_ how you caught the snitch, right before they made what would have been their _first_ goal." She had been fitting a model for a show and had stuck the needle in the poor girl when she heard it over the wireless.

"It was a good game."

"You _slaughtered_ them!" She said it with pride in her voice.

"Yeah, well will see if that's the case next game." She looked at him confused.

"We're playing the Puddlemere's."

"Harry's team?"

He nodded his head while she shrugged.

"So what about you?" he asked finishing off his wine.

"What about me?"

"How's business?"

She groaned and closed her eyes.

"That good huh?"

"It's bloody _unbelievable_ is what it is. How difficult is it to just tell me what you want, and I'll design something for you that you would like, and you actually _like_ it." She met his eyes and saw something in them that she had never seen before. She felt her heart stop for a second, before shaking it out of her mind. What had gotten into her? They had been best friends for years, then suddenly she's been feeling weird around him.

"Yeah, unbelievable." His voice was husky when he answered, but she didn't notice.

She finished off her wine, and he paid the bill. She slipped her shoes back on and stood. They walked outside and were about to say goodnight, when suddenly she felt her ankle turn, and she would have fallen had Draco not reached out and grabbed her with his seeker skills.

She blushed with the very close contact they were now sharing, and she tried to right herself, "Thank yo- _Ow_!" She crumpled again, back into his arms. Biting her lip she pushed away the pain that had coursed through her body. Ginny felt Draco's arms wrap around her tighter, and he pulled her off the ground.

"I'm going to apperate you back to your place," His voice was full of concern. Ginny was shocked that he had actually told her that he was going to apperate. She racked her brain for a memory of any other time he had done so, and came up with a blank. She clung tightly to him, relaxing his embrace.

They appeared before her gate, and he somehow managed to open it. Once in front of her door she found her key and unlocked it. The flat was dark, but he was able to maneuver his way around from memory and placed her on the couch. Flicking his wand, the room flooded with light, and he rushed towards the kitchen. She found herself longing for his now absent touch.

"Draco!" she called out, "It's just a _sprang_."

"So?" he called back, and she heard the door to her freezer open.

"You're a wizard aren't you? A wizard who gets hurt more than he should none the less."

"You're _point_, Red?"

"There is a _spell_ for a sprang you know."

She smiled when she heard the sounds coming from the other room stop abruptly. He appeared at the door, his face slightly red.

"Right." He cleared his throat and sat down at the end of the couch and drew her feet onto his lap. She winced slightly as he pulled to one heel off. Her ankle was swollen and red. He pulled out his wand and muttered a few incoherent words. She bit her lip when there was a sudden burning sensation in her ankle. Then they both watched as the swelling went down and the red disappeared.

He tentatively took her foot in his hand, and moved it around.

"Does that hurt?"

She shook her head and blushed. _'He's only touching your bloody foot! Get a grip.'_

He stood and helped her stand. She gently put weight on the foot and let out a sigh when she felt no pain.

She looked up into his face, and smiled, "I guess I owe you big time for tonight right?"

He slowly shook his head, and suddenly Ginny's world froze. His eyes had the same look in them that she saw back in the cafe. Only this time she saw what it was. _Hunger_.

She was only slightly aware that his hands had moved up to cup her head. Her eyes fluttered shut and she felt his lips on hers. It started as a gentle kiss, but she found herself needing more. She snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, sighing into his mouth. She felt his tongue and she opened her mouth to let him in, deepening the kiss. His arms were now around her waist. Ginny noted with satisfaction that their bodies fit perfectly together.

They broke apart slowly and looked at each other, passion clouding both their vision. He smiled at her, joy apparent on his face and she leaned forwards and lightly kissed his chin.

"Are we sure about this?" His voice was deep.

She looked up into his eyes, searchingly, and smiled at what she saw. "I've never been more sure about anything."

He pulled her into a tight embrace. She rested her head on his chest and breathed in his scent.

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"Mr. Weasley, I would like to ask Ginny to marry me." Draco sat in the small living room at the Burrow, across from Ginny's father. It had only been a three weeks since that night in her living room. He had left there that night with a soaring heart. He had only been able to see her during the days and at public gatherings, but he still knew that she was the only one he ever wanted to be with again.

"Do you love her?" he had expected this question.

"Yes sir, more than life itself."

He squirmed under the steady gaze of the older man.

"Does she return these feelings?"

"I believe so sir. If not, I might be finding out soon enough." He tried to smile, but failed.

Her father nodded his head finally, and rose to shake Draco's hand.

"Welcome to the family son!"

Draco visibly relaxed.

The man spoke again, checking his watch, "Well I need to rush off." Draco stood and Mr. Weasley walked him to the door.

"Oh, and one more thing, Mr. Malfoy," Draco paused on the small porch and looked back expecantly. "Why did you pick her?"

Draco smiled and shrugged. "I couldn't help myself sir. I just knew she was the one for me."

Mr. Weasley smiled at him, "I'm glad she picked you." and shut the door.

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Draco sat waiting in the small coffee shop, testing his steaming drink to see if it had cooled enough for him to drink. Sighing he checked his watch again before looking out the windows. She was late. He tested his drink again. Still to hot. He heard the bell above the door ring and he glanced up quickly, his heart stopping.

His love came towards him, her face shining with joy. Ginny seated herself next to him, and he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Hey you."

She smiled at him then ordered a drink. Her hair, Draco noticed, was loose, it's soft curls falling around her shoulders. He felt his heart burst at the thought of spending the rest of his days with this woman that sat before him.

"Will you marry me?" The words jumped out of his mouth before he knew what was happening.

He could see her freeze and she looked at him. He shifted in his chair, blushing slightly.

"I'm sorry?" She spoke the words softly.

"Oh, there no need for you to apologize..." He grinned cheekily at her, and she lightly smacked his arm.

"_Ouch_!"

"Serves you right for joking at a time like this."

Silence.

"Well?"

"Well _what_?"

He let out an exasperated sigh, and rolled his eyes, "Do I need to get on one kne--"

"Just ask me again!" Neither of them noticed that the customers in the shop had stopped their conversations and were listening.

"Will you, Ginny Weasley, love of my life, my own damsel in distress, my darling Red, marry me, the man who loves you, your knight in shining armor, your---" He was suddenly cut off by something on his lips. It was a very passionate kiss that he was receiving from Ginny. She pulled back grinning, her eyes shining.

"Yes, I will marry you." He smiled at her, and laughed with joy, bringing her in for another kiss.

The shop erupted with cheers and cat calls.

"The ring?" Someone yelled out.

"I _was_ getting there!" Draco yelled back, and reached into his pocket to retrieve the small band.

"I love you, Red." he whispered while slipping the ring onto her finger.

"I love you_ too_." She kissed him with what he felt was all her love, to prove just how much.

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_Please_ Read & Review!

_Hope you enjoyed! Just a little something I needed to write out._

_fin_


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